Surface projectile game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game wherein a plurality of first bodies such as balls or discs are positioned within a first area having a limiting boundary and surrounded by a second area from which a second body is propelled into contact with the first bodies to drive the first bodies from the first area. Holes in the surface of the second area may be provided to receive the bodies driven in their direction. A trough type receptacle surrounding the outside of the second area may be used to receive balls from the first and second areas. Scoring may be in accordance with the number of bodies driven from the first and second areas, the number which enter the holes and accordance with corresponding color coded bodies and holes. The bodies generally include spheres, balls and discs.

United States Paten Wahlberg 151 3,653,665 14 1 Apr. 4, 1972 [s41 SURFACE PROJECTILE GAME APPARATUS [21] Appl. No.: 22,980

[52] US. Cl. ..273/125 R, 273/126 R [51] int. Cl. ..A63f 7/00 [58] Field oiSearch ..273/118 R, 118 A,l18 D, 123 R, 273/123 A, 108, 113, 2, 3 R, 3 A, 3 B, 3 C, 11 R,

11 C, 12, 124 R, 124 A, 125 R, 125 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 9,767 1902 Great Britain ..273/118 R 1,991 1900 Great Britain ..273/118 R 9,883 1886 Great Britain ..273/3 A Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Arnold W. Kramer Attorney-Alfred E. Miller 71 I ABSTRACT A game wherein a plurality of first bodies such as balls or discs are positioned within a first area having a limiting boundary and surrounded by a second area from which a second body is propelled into contact with the first bodies to drive the first bodies from the first area. Holes in the surface of the second area may be provided to receive the bodies driven in their direction. A trough type receptacle surrounding the outside of the second area may be used to receive balls from the first and second areas. Scoring may be in accordance with the number of bodies driven from the first and second areas, the number which enter the holes and accordance with corresponding color coded bodies and holes. The bodies generally include spheres, balls and discs.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SURFACE PROJECTILE GAME APPARATUS This invention pertains to a game wherein the skills of the game of pool or of shuffle board are employed. A set of first balls or discs are placed in a first area delineated by a boundary line and surrounded by a second area from where a second ball or disc is propelled against the first balls or discs to drive them from the playing area. The propulsion force may be supplied by means of a cue stick or by the players hand. Scoring is made in accordance with the number of balls or discs leaving the first area and such additional plus scoring as obtained through entering the holes or trough or through corresponding color matching of body and scoring area.

The game may be made more interesting by providing a trough receptacle around the edge of the game to receive such balls or discs as might travel beyond the second area. Scoring could then be set to vary for those which leave the second area and those bodies which stay in the second area. A still further variation is provided by the use of holes in the second area for receiving balls or discs directed in that direction. Further interest can be developed by providing color coding to the holes and areas of the troughs and the balls and discs. When colored balls are received by matching colored holes or areas trough, the scoring is adjusted to reflect the accomplishment.

It is the object of this invention to provide a game having a number of possible combinations which will provide interesting recreation and entertainment as well as spirited competi- IlOl'l.

Other objects of this advantage will be apparent after reading the following specification in connection with the annexed drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of one embodiment of the apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the apparatus taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing playing surface and component relationships.

FIG. 3 is a top view of another embodiment of the invention showing a circular arrangement.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a disc which might be used in the invention.

FIG. 6 is an elevation view ofthe disc ofFIG. 5.

In general, the embodiments of the invention shown and described below are for installation wherever facilities for recreation are available such as the recreation room of a home, youth center, senior citizencenter or commercial recreational facilities. The rules for play are in accordance with those of shuffle board where boundary lines are observed, and troughs are provided to accept propelled balls or discs. Play is continued by each contender until his attack body departs from the first ball area or after he has failed to propel at least one ball from the area.

In FIG. 1 there is shown a squared embodiment of the invention having a surface 1 with an area 3 where first balls 6 are placed. A circle 5 bounds area 3. A second area 2 surrounds first area 3. A trough 4 is provided on the outside of the second area 2. A collecting hole 9 is provided in the trough 4 at one corner of the embodiment. Four holes 8 are shown on the surface of the second area 2. Dotted lines show that these holes are connected to and fed to the trough 4. A guard 10 is provided around the game assembly.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of FIG. 1 and shows the relative position in elevation of the various parts of the game. The first balls 6 are shown on the first area 3 with second ball 7 in position to be propelled from the area 2 against first balls 6. Trough 4 is shown located on the twosides of the game surface with the trough bottom slanting downwardly towards the front. l-lole 9 is shown connecting trough 4 to receptacle l2 and retrieving opening 14 Hole 8 is shown connected to trough 4 by means of guide 11. A base 15 supports the game assembly 19. A guard 10 surrounds the assembly.

FIG. 3 shows a circular embodiment of the invention having a surface with first area 21 on which first balls 22 are placed. A circle 28 provides the boundary of first area 21. A second area 23 encircles area 21 on which is shown a second ball 26. A trough 24 encircles second area 23. A guard 27 encircles game assembly 30. Holes 25 are shown in surface of second area 23.

FIG. 4 is an elevation of FIG. 3 and shows the assembly 30 mounted on base 38. Slanting portion 29 between assembly 30 and base 38 indicates the outside of the slanting trough 24 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a top view of a form of a disc 40 that could be used in the game in place of the balls. A center depression 42 is bounded by a circular rim 41.

FIG. 6 shows an elevated view of disc 40 of FIG. 5 with depression 42 on top and depression 43 on the bottom.

In the embodiments shown, except for configuration, all the components are the same. Therefore the description of one basic embodiment will serve the other embodiments. In the description of the embodiment of FIG. 1, balls 6 are the same as balls 22; ball 7 is the same as ball 26; first area 3 is the same as first area 21; second area 2 is the same as second area 23; trough 4 is the same as trough 24; holes 8v are the same as holes 25 and boundary 5 is the same as boundary 28. Further the disc 40 of FIG. 5 can be substituted for balls 6 or 7 of FIG. 1 and 22 or 26 in FIG. 3.

Referring to embodiment of FIG. 1, there is a surface 1 which has a first area 3 upon which are placed a number of first balls 6. Outside the circle 5 surrounding the first area 3 and in second area 2 a second ball is placed. This ball 7 is propelled toward the second balls 6 by some such means as a cue stick usually associated with pool or by the physical motion of the players hand.

The resultant direction of motion of first balls 6 due to contact of second ball 7 would be determined by the angle, spin and speed of contact and whether the path of the balls 7 were blocked by other first balls 6. The aim of the propeller of the second ball 7 is that the first balls be lodged in either the trough 4, the holes 8 or the second area 2 while keeping the second ball in playing position within the circle 5 in area 3. If the second ball 7, remains within the circle 5, another opportunity to propel any remaining first balls 6 from the first area is afforded from its rest position. When second ball 7 goes out of the area 3, the next player places his ball 7 in area 2 and proceeds as described above.

Those balls which enter holes 8 are guided to trough 4 by means of guide 11, FIG. 2. Trough 4 is used to guide the balls to collection hole 9 which deposits the balls in rack 12 from which the balls can be retrieved through opening 14. Trough 4 slants upwardly from hole 9 to a point from the hole 9. This provides for gravity movement of the balls 6 to collecting hole 9.

Play continues until all the first balls have left the first area 3. The first balls 6 are then collected and replaced in the first area 3. Should a second ball 7 been left in area 3 when the last first balls 6 had left area 3, the player of that second ball 7 places that second ball 7 in area 2 and proceeds as before.

Should a second ball 7 enter either holes 8 or trough 4, the score of the player would be adjusted to reflect a penalty of the amount placed on that entry.

Other bodies such as disc 40 of FIG. 5 may be substituted for first balls 6 and second ball 7 with the rules for play remaining the same.

Each player would use the same second body or his own personal one.

Configurations can be designed which will serve the same functions as described above and including such as will utilize the guard rail 10 as a ricochetting means for diverting first balls 6 to protected holes 8 in the second area or to use first balls as a means for propelling another first ball 6 out of area 2. In the case of ricochetting, portions of trough 4 would be covered to allow propelled balls to hit guard rail 10. Further, the player could then use the side rails 10 for ricochetting shots to obtain position or propelling the first ball 6 into a better scoring position such as hole 8.

Further modifications may be made in the embodiment shown to add interest and to use greater skills. One such embodiment would be to color code certain areas of trough 4 and holes 8. Corresponding colors would be applied to an equal number of first balls 6. When a first ball 6 enters an area of trough 4 or a hole 8 having the same color as the first ball 6, an added score could be permitted.

The scoring could be programmed to allow one point for each ball going into the trough 4; two points if the color is a match of the trough area; two points if the ball rests on the area 2; five points if the ball enters the holes in the area 2; 10 points if the color is matched to the hole 8 and, in the case of the use of discs, a disc which rests on area 2 but protrudes into the trough area normally called a leaner would be given three points. The player receiving the most points in a series of previously determined number of turns is the winner. Or, the player who first reaches a predetermined number of points such as 100 is the winner.

From the foregoing, it will now be seen that there is herein provided a new game which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others.

As many embodiments may be made of this invention concept as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the purview of this invention, it is therefore to be understood that matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1, In combination, a table-like playing structure having a horizontal planar top surface surrounded by a guard rail; a gutter adjacent the guard rail between the guard rail and planar top surface; a first playing area delineated by a boundary line on said top surface overlying the center of said top surface; a second playing area designated by the planar top surface surrounding the first playing area and extending to the gutter; the second playing area having a plurality of holes through said top surface; guideways for each hole underlying said top surface and emptying into said gutter, and a plurality of first and second game playing elements of less dimension than the gutter and holes whereby the first game elements placed in the first playing area may be propelled therefrom by the propulsion of the second game elements by a shooter so as to land in the second playing area, one of said holes, or said gutter depending upon the skill of the shooter, and the playing elements passing through said holes fall into said guideways and thereafter into said gutter for retrieval.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the first and second game playing elements are spherical.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the game playing elements are disc shaped.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said plurality of holes are each differently color coded with a corresponding plurality of groups of said first game elements, each group being color coded to correspond to the color code of one of said holes.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the plane of said gutter is inclined with respect to said planar top surface and whereby the playing elements landing in the holes or gutter will proceed by gravity to the same low point of said gutter where they may be retrieved.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first and second playing areas are circular. 

1. In combination, a table-like playing structure having a horizontal planar top surface surrounded by a guard rail; a gutter adjacent the guard rail between the guard rail and planar top surface; a first playing area delineated by a boundary line on said top surface overlying the center of said top surface; a second playing area designated by the planar top surface surrounding the first playing area and extending to the gutter; the second playing area having a plurality of holes through said top surface; guideways for each hole underlying said top surface and emptying into said gutter, and a plurality of first and second game playing elements of less dimension than the gutter and holes whereby the first game elements placed in the first playing area may be propelled therefrom by the propulsion of the second game elements by a shooter so as to land in the second plaYing area, one of said holes, or said gutter depending upon the skill of the shooter, and the playing elements passing through said holes fall into said guideways and thereafter into said gutter for retrieval.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the first and second game playing elements are spherical.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the game playing elements are disc shaped.
 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said plurality of holes are each differently color coded with a corresponding plurality of groups of said first game elements, each group being color coded to correspond to the color code of one of said holes.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the plane of said gutter is inclined with respect to said planar top surface and whereby the playing elements landing in the holes or gutter will proceed by gravity to the same low point of said gutter where they may be retrieved.
 6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first and second playing areas are circular. 